In the Republican Party`s first runoff ever for a Florida Cabinet seat, a teacher from Boca Raton and a former university president are sparring in an offbeat but generally quiet race.

The teacher is Ron Howard, a member of the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee. His opponent for the commissioner of education nomination, J. Stanley Marshall, led Florida State University from 1969 to 1976.

The winner of Tuesday`s runoff faces state Sen. Betty Castor of Tampa, the Democratic nominee, in the Nov. 4 general election.

The candidates are looking to succeed Democrat Ralph Turlington, who is retiring after 12 years as education commissioner.

``We feel very good about our chances in this race,`` says state GOP spokesman Mike Zotti.

Despite running a low-budget race and doing little campaigning, Howard was the front-runner in the Sept. 2 Republican primary. He gathered 31 percent of the vote to Marshall`s 30 percent, setting the stage for Tuesday`s runoff.

``Yes, I have to admit I was surprised, too,`` Howard says about the primary results.

Marshall, who spent $180,000 in his primary bid to Howard`s $5,000, immediately asserted his opponent`s finish stemmed from voters` being confused about who Howard is.

Howard shares the same name as the TV actor and producer who once starred as Opie on the Andy Griffith Show. Marshall`s comments became part of what political insiders termed the ``Opie Factor.``

While Marshall supporters even tried to get the actor Ron Howard to disavow any link to the candidate, Marshall now says of the name furor: ``I think it`s a dead issue.``

Howard agrees.

``I think it`s being overplayed,`` he says. ``It`ll backfire on Stan, because people didn`t vote for me because they were confused.``

Instead, Howard says, he was the leading GOP vote-getter because of his policies and teaching experience.

``I have a much greater working knowledge than (Marshall) of the day-to-day issues,`` Howard said.

The latest Florida Newspaper Poll -- published Friday by the News/Sun- Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel and the St. Petersburg Times and Evening Independent -- shows Marshall the favorite of 35 percent of Republicans. Howard is the choice of 29 percent, but 36 percent remain undecided.

The salient point on which the candidates differ is whether Florida should enact a lottery to fund education. Howard supports it. Marshall is opposed.

``I`m a little puritanical in nature, and I just don`t like the state getting into the gambling business,`` Marshall says.

He also doubts education would be helped by a lottery.

The constitutional amendment Floridians will decide would not require that lottery profits go to schools. Even if it did, Marshall fears the Legislature might begin treating the lottery as the sole source of financing for schools.

That wouldn`t be enough for the state, Marshall says. Florida now spends close to $1 out of every $3 of its $16.5 billion budget for education.

Still, the state`s teacher salaries rank 31st among the 50 states. And Florida is 48th in state and local expenditures for education, according to teachers` unions.

In light of that, Howard and Marshall agree more money is needed for schools. Both say new revenue earned from the elimination of certain sales tax exemptions should go to schools.

Each also says the formula used to steer state funds back to local school boards should be reviewed. The measure, now based on county property tax revenue, is generally thought to hurt South Florida counties and others with high property values.

Howard would revise the formula by basing it on county sales tax revenue. Marshall, however, says the current system may only need improving. He`s called for adjusting county property appraisals so they more closely reflect actual market value.

``We have to find a way to hold the feet of these tax assessors to the fire,`` he says.

Neither candidate opposed the Legislature`s formation last spring of an education board to advise the commissioner. Marshall, though, said the action was only an outgrowth of frustration with Turlington`s office.

Howard has pledged to work closely in the administration of the state`s kindergarten through high school programs. He also proposes mandatory drug testing for all new school employees.

Marshall stops short of advocating such testing. He says, however, that he could support such measures if imposed by the Legislature.

``I don`t believe that schools have any more responsible job this year, right now, than trying to overcome the drug problem,`` Marshall says.

COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION

Here are the candidates in the Republican runoff for state education commissioner:

RON HOWARD:

Howard, 42, is a Boca Raton resident and teacher at Lantana Middle School. He`s been a schoolteacher for seven years; he previously worked as a purchasing agent and commodities broker. Howard is a member of the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee. He has never held elective office.